As a Head of Research at FCLTGlobal (Focusing Capital on the Long Term), Ariel Fromer Babcock’s work has focused on how frictions stemming from the intersection of public companies with their shareholders may drive longer- or shorter-term behaviors on both sides of the aisle. Among other publications, she is the author of: The Long-term Habits of a Highly Effective Corporate Board, Driving the Conversation: Long-term Roadmaps for Long-term Success, and Moving Beyond Quarterly Guidance: A Relic of the Past. Her research on the investor-corporate dialogue and use of long-term shareholder communications as a tool to better align public companies and their long-term institutional shareholders earned her recognition among the inaugural class of the National Investor Relations Institute’s 40 Under 40 in 2019.
After starting her career as a trader and research analyst at a long-short financial sector focused hedge fund, she moved on to managing value- and equity-income focused mutual fund strategies at both American Independence Financial Services and Calamos Investments. Most recently Ariel worked with clean energy company Tecogen Inc. (NASDAQ: TGEN) as Director of Investor Relations and Corporate Communications. While at Tecogen she was instrumental in establishing a unified corporate communications platform and in developing the company’s growth strategy alongside executive management.
Ariel holds a BA in Economics and Environmental Studies from Tufts University, holds the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation, and is an active member of CFA Society Boston where she is a Financial Literacy Alliance Leader.
CPA, CMA
University Treasurer and Chief Investment Officer – Concordia University
Mr. Gauthier is responsible for the oversight of the University’s and its related entities’ financial position, which are segregated through five distinct portfolios; Benefits (Pension Plan, Group Insurance Plans, Supplementary Retirement Plans and Post Retirement/Employment Benefits), Investments (Pension Fund and Foundations), Corporate Risks (Insurance, self-insurance and ERM programs), Capital Budget (Capital investments and Fixed Assets) and Financing. He has been employed by Concordia University for 31 years; his responsibilities have also included such roles as Executive Director, Finance and Business Operations, Director of Finance and Restricted Funds and prior as a senior financial analyst and accountant. Mr. Gauthier obtained his CMA and graduated from Finance and Accounting at Concordia University as well as from Queen’s Executive Program in General Management.
Trésorier et Chef de Placement – Université Concordia
M. Gauthier a comme mandat la surveillance de la situation financière de l’Université et de ses entités affiliées, répartis en cinq portefeuilles distincts; avantages sociaux (régime de retraite, régimes d’assurances collectives, régimes de retraite supplémentaires et avantages post-retraite/emploi), placements (caisse de retraite et ces fondations), risques corporatifs (programme d’assurance, auto-assurance et GRE), budget des immobilisations (investissements en capitaux et immobilisations) et financement. M. Gauthier est employé à l’Université depuis 31 ans; il a occupé des rôles tels que Directeur exécutif, finances et gestion des affaires, Directeur des finances et fonds avec restrictions, analyste senior et comptable. Il a obtenu son CMA et est diplômé en Finance et Comptabilité de l’Université Concordia.
Alison Schneider is Vice President, Responsible Investing at AlMCo in Edmonton, Alberta. She is a recipient of both the Canada Clean 50 Award and it’s Top Project Award, chairs the GRESB Infrastructure advisory board and the shareholder responsibility committee of ICGN. She sits on committees for CSA Group, CCGG, the G7 ILN and PRI. Alison is a published author, (The New Frontiers of Sovereign Investment 2017), co-authored ICGN’s Guidance on Diversity (2016), ICGN’s Guidance on Fiduciary Duty (2018) and actively contributes to the development of national and global sustainable finance frameworks. Alison is a volunteer instructor for the Canadian Climate Law Initiative, Institute of Corporate Directors ILN’s Sustainable Infrastructure Fellowship program. She enjoys organizing local International Women’s Day events and is past-president and founder of Edmonton’s professional chapter of Net Impact (2011)
Digitalization and Innovation are key themes in APG Asset Management, to maintain and enhance the position as a leading global long term responsible investor. Peter Strikwerda is responsible for the definition and execution of the digitalization and innovation agenda’s, adding up to a business transformation including people, process, tech, data.
Peter joined APG Group in 2013 and APG Asset Management in 2017, after a career in (strategy) consulting within Financial Services and in between working at Rabobank and ING, a.o. heading the strategy and analytics department.
Peter holds a university degree in Business Administration.
CFA
Kevin Zhu is Senior Managing Director, Head of Portfolio Construction at OPTrust, one of Canada’s largest defined benefit pension funds with net assets of almost C$25 billion.
Kevin has over 20 years of experience in the financial services industry, including both central banking and total portfolio investment
framework and strategy design for large Canadian defined benefit pension plans.
Kevin joined OPTrust in 2016 where he has been leading Total Fund portfolio management functions, including portfolio construction research and innovation, capital and risk allocation across asset classes and strategies, total portfolio management framework design, and dynamic total portfolio management.
Prior to joining OPTrust, Kevin held the position of Director, Strategy & Asset Mix at Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan. Prior to this appointment, Kevin was Senior Economist at the Bank of Canada focusing on monetary policy research and model development. He holds a MA in Economics from Carleton University and is a CFA Charterholder. In 2017, Kevin was named to Sovereign Wealth Fund Institute’s Public Investor 100.
